Friday, September 30, 2011

Harper's Administration Is Starting To Pay The Price Of Their Arrogance With A Flood Of Public Service 'Leaks'

When a heavy handed, arrogant federal administration pushes the civil service too far, get ready for a flood of 'leaks' and brown envelopes. That is exactly what we are beginning to see in Ottawa. Harper's arrogant and abusive Ministers have ticked off their officials sufficiently to start the ball rolling.

Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Executive Summary:
The Conservative government of Stephen Harper is pursuing a “tough on crime” agenda despite the fact that crime rates are trending downward. Proposed tough legislation will in fact be more likely to increase the risk to public safety than to reduce it.According to Statistics Canada, crime rates have been trending down for over 20 years. This includes the violent crime rate. Yet the Harper government continues to insist that there is an epidemic of crime, and that Canadians should be very afraid of increasing violence — guns, gangs and drugs — the fear factor. This mantra is picked up by the media, and the public is duly terrified of crime and willing to support the government in its tough measures. About 30% of all current legislation before the House of Commons relates to crime. This is a very high proportion for any single file, especially in view of the urgent and complex issues facing Canadians today.

Tough measures do not produce public safety. Longer sentences, harsher prison conditions and the incarceration of more Canadians will return the system to a time when prisons were extremely violent, and when the end result was more rather than less crime. Recidivism is more likely to occur when offenders have been locked up for long periods with few programs of rehabilitation. The recent annual report if the Correctional Investigator confirms that these trends have already emerged in the prison system since the Harper government took power.

Statistics, expert testimony, and the experience of decades have not deterred the government from its chosen path. It plans to create more criminal offences, many more mandatory minimum sentences, the abolition of statutory release with supervision, and the closing of many proven programs such as the highly effective prison farms which have just been dismantled. Nor is the Harper government apparently deterred by the extraordinary financial costs of its proposed legislation. No proper estimates have been provided to Canadians by the government. The Parliamentary Budget Officer, however, has costed out a single piece of legislation which he estimates will cost taxpayers upwards of $5 billion over five years (including the construction of 13 new federal prisons). This will more than double the budget for Corrections in Canada.

The additional dozens of proposed laws will have similar extraordinary cumulative effects upon the budget. Why, then, is the government determined to stay the course? It appears to be acting solely upon belief and ideology — the discredited notion that more incarceration in nastier conditions will solve the crime problem. Additionally, there is an Old-Testament vindictiveness in the approach which even victims of violent crime do not always support.

On the other hand, crime legislation is sure to divert the public away from the more pressing and difficult issues of the day, and it is sure to garner votes as well. By scaring Canadians with skewed and misleading information, the Conservative government can legislate truly draconian crime laws which are likely to increase both the incidence of crime and the deficit.

About the Author:
Paula Mallea, B.A., M.A., Ll.B, practised criminal law for 15 years in Toronto, Kingston, and Manitoba. She acted mainly as defence counsel, with a part-time stint as prosecutor, and spent hundreds of hours in penitentiaries representing inmates. She is a Research Associate with the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives.

Tony, Tony, Tony .... You're Toast!

"We don’t think that it’s appropriate for Tony Clement to continue sitting as a minister.’’Thomas Mulcair, MP Official Opposition House LeaderNote to the Editorial Boards of the Globe & Mail, National Post, Toronto Star, Montreal Gazette, Halifax Chronicle-Herald, Calgary Herald:
By letting Tony Clement off the hook with this disgusting abuse of tax dollars in his riding, you are telling the Harper Conservatives that you're prepared to turn a blind eye to their corrupt practices.

Is the main stream media of Canada TOTALLY in Mr. Harper's hip pocket?

A Personal Note ....

Posts on this site have been a bit spotty lately due to some ongoing medical problems I have been experiencing over the last year and a half. I am still recovering from four eye surgeries for recurring detached retina, insertion of Scleral buckle and lensectomy. As I was preparing for a further surgical procedure recently, glaucoma complications have arisen and reduced my ability to work on the computer somewhat.

Wednesday, September 14, 2011

By Making Them The Official Oppostion, The Voters Gave The New Democratic Party Of Canada Specific Tasks

"In Canada, Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition (French: L'Opposition Loyale de Sa Majesté),[1] commonly known as the Official Opposition, is usually the largest parliamentary opposition party in the House of Commons or a provincial legislative assembly that is not in government, either on its own or as part of a governing coalition. This is usually the second-largest party in a legislative house, although, in certain unusual circumstances, it may be a third or fourth party or even the largest party.

The Official Opposition is viewed as the caucus tasked with keeping the government in check. It is also generally viewed as the alternative government or "government in waiting". The Official Opposition maintains a shadow cabinet, with the Leader of the Official Opposition at its head, of Members of Parliament (MPs) and Senators who often have the same portfolios as actual ministers. The spokesperson for each portfolio is known as an opposition critics. Thus, in the event the government loses the confidence of the House or the Official Opposition party wins a general election, the party is ready to become the government."wikipedia.org

Despite antagonistic rantings by the pro-Conservative corporate media, the New Democratic Party of Canada was given important tasks by the voters in the last federal election.

The main task assigned to the New Democrats is to provide valid, firm opposition to the governing Conservative Party of Canada. By assigning various Members of Parliament as 'Critics', the Official Opposition will question, debate, dissect and offer alternate views to legislation and policy advanced by the Government.

The second task assigned, is to prepare the personnel, policies and leadership necessary to form government if the voters decide to pass that mandate to us in the next federal election.

The death of Jack Layton has created a situation where the entire membership of the New Democratic Party of Canada has a responsibility to help select the best leader possible to fulfill the task given to us by the voters.

Since the NDP chooses its leader by a 'one member/one vote' process, every party member has a role in the task.

We have to get this one right. It is our job. It is our mandate.

There is always the possibility that regional, ageist, or ideological preferences will factor in the decision made by each voting party member. To choose a leader simply because he or she is from one particular region or because they are either 'young' or 'mature' could go very wrong. Once the field of candidates is known, each candidate should be held up to the question, "who of this field would make the BEST Prime Minister of Canada'? That is our job. That is one of the key factors in the mandate that the voters of Canada gave the New Democratic Party of Canada.

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

If you are not completely disgusted by the value system of Right wing extremists, then there is something wrong with your sense of being a human being. In their world, if you have money - you matter. If you are without money .... 'just fucking die already'.

Monday, September 12, 2011

Ed Broadbent's Endorsement Of Brian Topp Is Huge

"NDP president Brian Topp is running to replace Jack Layton as leader, having already secured the support of Quebec MP Françoise Boivin and former leader Ed Broadbent.

The trio appeared together at a news conference in Ottawa ahead of an NDP caucus meeting in Quebec City this week.

Ms. Boivin and Mr. Broadbent's endorsements came as a surprise, but are a clear signal of Mr. Topp's strengths and wide-ranging support in NDP circles." [...] Mr. Topp was a close ally of Mr. Layton until the former leader passed away last month. He grew up in Quebec, but worked in Saskatchewan through much of the 1990s and is now based in Toronto.

“I know that New Democrats can deliver a successful NDP government in both official languages and in every part of the country,” Mr. Topp said. “A fiscally responsible and economically literate government that offers Canadians hope for a better future.”The Globe & Mail

Saturday, September 10, 2011

Is Stephen Harper Using The British Monarchy And the Appointment of Angelo Persichilli To Try And Rekindle Separatist Sentiment In Quebec?

Q: Is Stephen Harper using a couple of sly tricks to try and rekindle Separatist sentiment In Quebec?

This is a valid question. I'll tell you why.

If you were Stephen Harper, would you rather see the people of Quebec vote for the Bloc Quebecois or continue moving to the New Democrats?

In the last few days, Harper has poked his finger in Quebec's eye on two separate occasions. First with the appointment of anti-Quebec journalist Angelo Persichilli to the position of Director of Communications in the PMO. Second, on the heels of the Angelo Persichilli appointment, came the idiotic Federal directive to place a portrait of England's Queen Elizabeth in hundreds of Canadian embassies and missions around the world.

These two moves are clearly intended to do one thing - to reignite separatist sentiment in Quebec which will see a move from the NDP perhaps back to the Bloc Quebecois. You see, the Bloc can never, ever win a Canadian Federal Election, the New Democrats just might ...

Friday, September 09, 2011

"In Saskatchewan, employment declined by 3,000 in August. The unemployment rate fell 0.4 percentage points to 4.5%, as fewer people participated in the labour market. Employment levels in the province were down 0.5% compared with 12 months earlier."StatsCan
And by the way - in our so called 'BOOMING' Saskatchewan, unemployment also went up in the months of February, March and April 2011. What BOOM is Wall talking about?

(Ever hear any mention of this from the Corporate Media who simply love Wall???)

Obituary:de Jong, Simon Leendert - age 69, left his body peacefully on Thursday August 18, in Vancouver, after a yearlong battle with leukemia. Born April 9, 1942, in Surabaya, Indonesia, Simon lived his first 3-½ years under Japanese occupation in a concentration camp with his mother and brother Hielke. Liberated in September 1945 by the Gurkhas of Nepal, the de Jong family immigrated to Regina in 1951. Educated in Regina, Simon completed an Honour's B.A. in social sciences at University of Regina where, as president of the student body, he advocated for its independence. Simon distinguished himself as a public speaker winning the provincial Bryant Oratory public speaking contest in high school, and engaging in politics becoming president of the CCF youth. As a member of the artistic community, his paintings have been represented in public and private collections in North America and Europe. In the fall of 1969, Simon moved with Wanda Mang to Vancouver where their twin sons, Justin and Micah, were born. He was co-director of Cool-Aid, providing warm food, clothing, housing and a medical clinic for the many young people who had migrated to West Coast. Simon returned to Regina at the end of 1974, working as a civil servant and later opening Gretta's Restaurant. In a surprising 1979 upset he was elected the New Democratic Party Member of Parliament for Regina East, a seat he held through five elections until retirement in 1997. During his 18 years in Parliament he held many portfolios, often revealing himself to be ahead of the times. The first MP to mention the greenhouse gas effect in the House of Commons, he advocated for a carbon tax. He also exposed the spraying of Agent Orange by the US Military in New Brunswick and the falsification of tests that supported the licensing of many herbicides and pesticides. Having come of age in the 60's, Simon had strong roots in the peace movement, and introduced a private member's bill calling for the establishment of a Peace Tax. When John Lennon was assassinated, he was quick to introduce a motion in Parliament expressing condolences to Yoko Ono. Upon retirement, Simon moved to California, later living between Regina, Brazil and the West Coast, continuing his lifetime search for spiritual truth to his last breath. He is survived by his sons Justin and Micah Mang and their mother Wanda, brother Casper (Allyson), sister Helena, sister-in-law June, nieces, nephews, cousins, partner Cheryl Anderson and family, by his large extended family including the Blewetts and Chouinards and his extensive circle of friends. He is predeceased by his father Simon, mother Dirkje, brother Hielke and sister Greta. There will be two Celebrations of Simon's life. The first will be on the terrace at Brock House, Monday, September 12th at 6:00pm, 3875 Point Grey Road, Vancouver, BC. The second Celebration of Life will be on Saturday, September 24th at 10:30am at Regina Senior Citizens Centre, 2134 Winnipeg Street, Regina, SK. Simon's ashes are to be interred at a later date. Arrangements by Victory Funeral Centre, Surrey, BC.

Wednesday, September 07, 2011

Harper's 'Canada' Is Not A Real Country Anyway - UPDATED

"The Harper government, a staunch proponent of the monarchy, has ordered all Canadian embassies and missions abroad to display a portrait of the Queen by end of week. It’s the latest campaign by the Conservatives to firm up government support for Canada’s head of state."Hang the Damned Queen For All I Care!

'Canadians' like to think that they have a great country that the whole world loves. Problem is we are just a quasi-country. Not a real country, unattached to the head of state of another country.

Monarchists and Harperites love this kind of 'pretend' country. We are kinda like a single 34 year old man who lives in his parents basement. We pretend that we are adult and have adult responsibilities and life experiences. However, the fact that mom is still upstairs leaves a great deal to be desired.

British people are wonderful people. I am not British. I would like to be a Canadian ... not some quasi-colonial.

Tuesday, September 06, 2011

Saskatchewan Green Party Leader Defects To Campaign Of New Democrat Candidate On Eve Of Provincial Election

"With a provincial election around the corner, Larissa Shasko is stepping down as leader of Saskatchewan's Green Party.

"Shasko, 29, who became party leader in April, 2009, said she still supports the party's principles, but in the upcoming election, she wants to support Yens Pedersen, the NDP's candidate in the Regina South constituency.

"I very much feel like my time and my effectiveness — as somebody who is politically involved — needs to be put to use to elect somebody in this election," she said.

The provincial election is Nov. 7.

Speaking to reporters Tuesday, Shasko said she was frustrated with some of the "inner workings" of the Green Party in Saskatchewan."CBC Saskatchewan

Friday, September 02, 2011

Tommy Douglas Predicted That Canada Would Return To A Two Party System

"I think that in time we will get back to a two party system. But it will be a two party system which will have a party right of centre and one left of centre but this will take a process of adjustment,"
Tommmy Douglas
NDP Leader
1968 Election Leader's Debate

What Mr. Douglas didn't indicate in his prediction was the 'process' that would see a return to a Canadian two-party system.

As I see it there are two possible ways that a new two-party system could arise:1) The New Democratic Party and the Liberal Party could merge and create a new entitiy. (This is hard to imagine at the moment), (OR)

2) Right wing Libs would migrate to Harper (as occurred in 2011) and Progressive Libs would migrate to the New Democrats .. resulting in the dissolution of the old Liberal Party of Canada.